Cheetah

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈt͡ʃiːtə/

Definitions

1. A large spotted feline native to Africa and Asia that is the fastest-running terrestrial mammal, capable of reaching speeds exceeding 70 miles per hour in short bursts
2. A swift, spotted big cat found in Africa and parts of Asia, renowned for its incredible speed and agility during short sprints that can exceed 70 miles per hour
3. This agile feline, native to African and Asian habitats, is celebrated for being the fastest land mammal, capable of reaching high speeds over short distances

Etymology: The animal's name travelled a long way before reaching English. It comes from Hindi "cītā", meaning leopard or panther, and that word ultimately derives from Sanskrit "citra", meaning multicolored or speckled. The Sanskrit compound "citrakāya" joined that with "kāya", meaning body, giving something like "having a spotted body". The same root "citra" is related to a cluster of Germanic words for brightness, including Old Norse "heiðr" and Old High German "haitar". Notice that the name was never really about speed. A speed-based label would have been natural for an animal famous for sprinting, yet the word preserves only the coat. Speckled leopards and cheetahs were both known in South Asia, and the name was borrowed for the cat that most resembles the leopard in its spots.

Synonyms: big cat, predator